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Monday, November 22

A Weekends Work

When I first had Wesley, I couldn't believe how it was so hard to accomplish anything. This one baby, demanded so much time, showers were often delayed, meals were fit in when possible, and laundry forgotten until the 11th hour. Then Calvin came and the challenge of juggling two kids at once allowed me to realize how easy it was with just one. Two was so much harder, showers were always delayed, meals unnoticeably passed, and laundry, still forgotten. Enter Josephine, child number three. Remember, how easy it was to worry about meeting the needs of only two? With Josephine, I have more kids than hands, three different lists of demands, and certainly no time for showers, let alone food, and isn't that shirt clean enough for one more day?

So when my parents bravely offered to take all three children for an overnight, leaving me with 27 sold, kid free hours, oh the things I can do and I did! I was like a manic monkey powered by cocaine laced coffee. The laundry baskets no longer lingered at the side of my bed, full of clothes that had a better chance of being worn before put away in their proper places. Dished were neatly filed into their positions in the dishwasher, nestling in until it was their time to be cleaned, rather than, grappling for room in a hurried attempt to get cleaned before their next run around. I even returned all the leftover plastic shopping bags that somehow overrun the spare cupboard even though I use reusable totes.

And it didn't stop there...

I was able to enjoy the stress free experience of taking some pictures of a friend's Grandson.... (thanks again Penny)....

Feeling the rush of adrenaline while riding the wave of accomplishment, I tackled the much needed, make look "less-hand-me-down" room make-over for Miss Josephine Marie's....

Before....

After...

Thrilling!
Without being concerned with getting anyone else ready, I easily run out to the store, jumped in the shower when it suited me, enjoy my food while it was still hot, and with ease accomplished the larger tasks, of a room make-over.

But as my feet wore a path on my toy free, freshly vacuumed floor, to take a peek out the window to see if Mom was returning with the kids yet, I realized that although this weekend was overly productive with the after taste of an unrestricted attitude in the air, it lacked excitement and allure of everyday unpredictability. And I missed it. Badly.

Jumping into a clean bed was nice. But discovering the kid’s left over crumbs upon climbing in, once the house has become still from the day, is only the day's goodnight gesture of sending me into a pleasant dream with the reminder of the life and excitement that was radiating just hours before and will again tomorrow.

This kid free weekend was greatly appreciated and liberating freedom was enjoyed, but only emphasized how much I welcome and thrive in the ever present state of controlled (and many times uncontrolled) chaos that can only be achieved with the responsibility of taking on the adventure of being outnumbered by my children.